Steps to Butterfly a Chicken

Steps to Butterfly a Chicken:

  1. Place chicken breast-side down, with the tail away from you.

2. Using kitchen or poultry shears*, cut as close to the keel bone (backbone) as possible.

3. Turn chicken around and using the tail as a guide, cut on the outside of the tail straight down the back of the chicken.

4. Remove the keel bone, it will be about ½-inch wide and as long as the chicken.

5. Turn chicken over and press firmly into the center of the breast.

6. The chicken will flatten out and will open like a book.

7. Twist the wing tips so that the tip is under the upper wing.

*The Messermeister Utility Take Apart Shears do this job beautifully.

Brine:

Final Chicken:

Elizabeth Karmel